Wrestlezone’s Top 10: John Cena’s Greatest Rivalries

#9 – Kurt Angle

The rivalry between John Cena and Kurt Angle wasn't altogether long-lasting, and there will be many of you who need to do some YouTube research, but it was among the very first programs that the future legend would work in the WWE. Everyone knows Cena's debut – sprinting to the ring, answering a challenge by Vince McMahon, shouting out the name of "ruthless aggression", and eventually losing a great, close match to one of the best in-ring technicians in the history of professional and Olympic wrestling. Not many people have had a better first night in any company.

Their feud stretched out over Cena's entire time on Smackdown, as Angle played up a fake injury and became the hated heel general manager of the "blue brand". It was JBL that pushed John over the top as a true main event player, but Angle was a key player in the quest to get him there. Once he was drafted to Monday Night Raw, the rivalry resumed as Eric Bischoff threw everything he had at John Cena. It was a submission match with the submission specialist that resulted in Cena developing his patented STFU hold that has won him half a dozen world titles in his time atop the mountain.